Typewriting machine



.Fufiy 8, 1941. HQFFMAN I 2,248,579

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JACOBIV. HOFFMAN I Patenteoi July 8, 1941 Pic :1

2 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting machinesand more particularly tothe application to such machines of devices by which carbon sheets areinterleaved with a number of superposed continuous work sheets or websin fanfold, multistrip or other form.

One object of the invention is to produce a novel and improvedconstruction by which a carbon sheet carrier for interleaving carbonsheets with the superposed sheets of a continuous work web may beapplied to existing typewriting machines with a minimum expenditure oflabor and time.

Other objects of the invention are to improve the construction of carbonsheet carriers for the above purpose, and associated devices forapplying the same to typewriting machines of the Elliott-Fisher or flatplaten type and to produce a construction by which such carriers may bequickly and easily applied to and removed from such machines.

Another object of the invention is to produce an improved and simplifiedconstruction by which carbon roll carriers for interleaving continuoussheets of carbon with the sheets of continuous work webs may 'be readilyappliedto machines of the Elliott-Fisher type.

With the above objects in View applicant has produced a construction bywhich a carbon carrier having devices for interleaving carbon sheetswith thesheets of a work web may be applied to existing typewritingmachines without the use of tools and-without any change in theconstructions of the typewriting machines. While the invention'isillustrated as applied to a machine of the Elliott-Fisher type, certainfeatures thereof are not limited in their application to such machines,but may be applied to machines of otherytypes. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that, except as defined'in the claims, the invention is notlimited'to any particular machine or type of machines.

The various features of the invention will be clearly understood fromthe accompanying drawings illustrating a construction embodying theinvention in its preferred form and the following detailed descriptionof the constructions therein shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection illustrating the platen and platen frame of a typewritingmachine of the Elliott-Fisher type with the invention applied theretoand showing a carbon roll carriage applied to the platen frame with thecarriage 'in r its'forward position with relation to said frame;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the carbon rollcarriage in its rearward position;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section taken substantially on the line3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a view in rear elevation, partly broken away, illustratingthe carbon roll carriage and the bracket for supporting the carriage onthe platen frame;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly invertical section illustrating the rear portion of the platen frame andthe forward portion of the bracket for supporting a carbon roll carriageon said frame and showing the manner in which the bracket is applied tosaid frame;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view partly inside elevation and partly invertical section illustrating-the rear portion of the platen framehaving a rear cross bar of different cross section from that shown inFigures 1, 2, 3 and Sand the forward portion of a carbon roll carriagesupporting bracket applied to said frame-and having fittings adaptingthe same to engage this form of cross bar; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the supporting bracketdetached from the platen frame.

The invention is illustrated in this application as applied to atypewriting machine of the Elliott- Fisher type such as that illustratedand described in the patent to Foothorap, No. 1,904,127, dated April 18,1933. The type bar and key mechanism, the letter space mechanism, theline space mechanism and other operating mechanisms of the machine mayhave the construction disclosed in said patent.

The platen frame of the typewriter is indicated as a whole at 2. Thisframe comprises parallel spaced side bars 4, a cross bar 6 connectingthe side bars at the forward end of the frame, a cross bar 8 connectingthe side bars between the ends thereof and a cross bar If) connectingthe side bars at the rear ends of said bars. A flat platen I2 is mountedfor vertical movement between the side bars of the platen frame andbetween the cross bars 6 and 8 in the manner disclosed in the patent toFoothora-p, No. 1,596,420, dated April 17, 1926.

The carbon carriage illustrated in the drawings of this application hassubstantially the same construction as the carbon roll carriageillustrated and described in the patent to Smith,

No. 1,979,292, dated November 6, 1934. The carriage includes a baseplate l4 formed of sheet metal and having its edges turned down as at Itto obtain stiffness of the base. Extending downwardly from the baseplate adjacent opposite ends thereof are two pins [8 arranged to engagein slots in the carriage supporting bracket to locate the carriage withrelation to the bracket. The base plate i4 is arranged to extendtransversely of the longitudinal axis of the platen when the carriage isapplied to the platen.

Mounted on the base plate I4 in transverse relation to said plate aretwo spaced retaining brackets 20. Thesebrackets are channel shaped incross section, each having a body portion 2|, an inner side flange 22and an outer side flange 24. These flanges are formed with outwardlyturned margins which rest upon the base plate I4, and the brackets aresecured to said plate by screws 25. The retaining brackets are eachprovided at their ends with upwardly turned supporting plates 28 havingbearing recesses to receive the spindles 30 of the carbon rolls 3 lThese plates are also perforated to form bearings for the rock shafts 32of the diagonal carbon guides 34.

The carbon rolls are locked by means of locking dogs 35 of spring plateformation secured to the plates 28 and arranged to engage teeth on theflanges 36 on the carbon rolls. These dogs are respectively actuated toengage said teeth and lock the rolls by means of pivoted locking levers31 adapted to be manually operated.

The carbon carriage is provided with a transverse guide rod 38 mountedin uprights 39 formed on extensions on the retainer brackets over whichguide rod the work sheets is guided. Mounted on this rod and adjustablelaterally thereon are guides 40 for engaging the side edges of the worksheets.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the bracket forsupporting the carbon roll carriage, indicated as a whole at 42,comprises spaced side plates 44 arranged in substantially parallelrelation and connected by cross rOds 46. This bracket is applied to therear end portion of the platen frame. The side plates 44, at the forwardend of the bracket (the right hand end, Fig. 7) are arranged to enterbetween the side bars 4 of the platen frame at the rear of said frameand these plates fit closely to the inner faces of the side bars 4. Thedrawings, with the exception of Figure 6, show the platen frame asprovided with a rear cross bar Hl substantially rectangular in crosssection. Each of the side plates 44 of the supporting bracket is formedwith a hook 48 having a recess within the same constructed to receivethe upper part of the rectangular cross bar Ii). Each of the side platesis also provided at its forward end with an out turned flange or lip 50arranged to engage beneath the corresponding side bar 4 of the platenframe in the manner shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The hooks 48 arepreferably located longitudinally of the bracket so that the center ofgravity of the bracket lies considerably to the rear of said hooks.

With this construction the bracket may be quickly and easily applied tothe platen frame in operating position. In applying the bracket to saidframe, the bracket is positioned with the side plates 44 engaged betweenthe side bars 4 of the platen frame and with the hooks 43 engaging overthe cross bar In of said frame, the bracket being held at an angle asshown in Figure 5. The rear end of the bracket is then depressed,thereby bringing the forward ends of the side plates up between the sidebars of the platen frame until the flanges 58 engage the under sides ofsaid side bars. The bracket will then be held securely and firmly inposition on the platen frame by the force of gravity on the rear portionof said bracket.

The carbon roll carriage is supported on the bracket so that saidcarriage may have a limited movement forwardly and rearwardly undercertain conditions but is held by the carriage engaging devices on thebracket so that it can have substantially no angular movement. Thecarriage engaging devices are constructed and arranged so that onecarriage may be removed from the machine and another carriage appliedthereto without loss of time.

The construction for supporting and positioning the carriage upon thebracket comprises the platelike projections 62 extending outwardly fromthe respective side plates 44 and each having a slot 64 extendinglongitudinally of the bracket to receive one of the pins ill on thecarriage. For supporting and guiding the carriage on the bracket, eachof the side plates 44 is provided with an upwardly extending projection66 arranged to engage the body portion of one of the retaining brackets20 just inside the outer side flange 24 as shown in Figure 4. The sideplates 44 are each further provided at the rear end thereof with anupwardly extending projection 69 arranged to engage the body portion ofone of the retaining brackets 20 just outside the inner side flange 22as shown in said figure. The carbon roll carriage is applied to thebracket merely by placing the carriage upon said bracket with the pinsl3 engaging in the slots 64 and with the projections 66 and 58respectively engaging inside and outside the flanges 24 and 22 on theretaining brackets. The retaining brackets will then rest upon the upperends of the projections 66 and the flanges 68, to support the carriageand the carriage will be guided during its forward and rearwardmovements by the engagement of the pins IS in the slots 64 and by theengagement of the projections 66 and 68 with the flanges 24 and 22.

The bracket construction above described is particularly adapted to beapplied to a platen frame having a rear cross bar ID of rectangularcross section, the recesses within the hooks 48 being shaped to fit overa rear cross bar of this cross section. In certain typewriting machinesembodying a flat platen and platen frame of the type shown in thisapplication, the rear cross bar is cylindrical in cross section. Inorder to enable the carbon roll carriage supporting bracket 42 to beapplied to a platen frame having the rear cross bar of cylindrical crosssection, the members 69 are provided. These members are adapted to besecured detachably to the respective side plates of the bracket by theside of each hooked portion 48 in the position shown in Figure 6, as bymeans of screws Ill, and are provided with hooks the recesses withinwhich are shaped to fit over said cylindrical cross bar. With theseadapter members 69 attached, the bracket is applied to the platen framein the manner shown in Figure 6.

In the construction above described, the carbon roll carriage is mountedfor limited forward and rearward movements upon the carriage supportingbracket 42, longitudinally of the platen frame and platen, and is heldfrom angular movement in a plane parallel with the plane of the platen.Its forward and rearward movements are limited by the engagement of pinsl8 with the ends of the slots 64.

In order to hold the carriage in its rearward position under certainconditions, stop fingers 18 are pivoted atiiil, respectively, onprojections on the side plates of the supporting bracket, and when intheir lowered positions, as shown in Figure 2, are arranged to engagethe adjacent faces of the plates 28 on the retaining brackets to holdthe carriage from forward movement. To enablethe carriage to moveforwardly to its limiting position, the stop fingers '18 are swungupwardly into the position shown in Figures 1 and ihe movement of thefingers in each direction is limited by pins 82, one secured in eachfinger and arranged to engage the edges of the projection on which thefinger is pivoted.

The machine is provided with a combined clamping device and knifedetachably mounted on the forward cross bar 6 of the platen frame. Thedevice comprises a clamping plate 84, the forward margin of which isformed with a knife edge 85. To the ends of the plate 85 are securedbrackets 38 each provided with a recess 39 to receive the forward crossbar 8. Within the end of each recess adjacent the plate Ed is. attacheda retaining plate 9 bent in a shape to overhang said cross bar. Each ofthe brackets is provided with a thumb screw 92 threaded into the lowerportion of the bracket and arranged to engage the cross bar 6 to holdthe clamping plate in position on the cross bar.

In setting up the machine for the typing of forms, with the presentconstruction, the locking levers 31 are moved to unlocking position tounlock the carbon rolls, the stop fingers is are swung upwardlysubstantially into the positions shown in Figures 1 and 7 and the carboncarriage is moved forwardly to its limiting position. The forms 95 aredrawn from the supply at the rear of the machine over the cross bar 38.The carbon sheets are drawn from the supply rolls about the diagonalguides 34 and are interleaved with the sheets of the forms and thecombined forms and carbon sheets 96 are drawn forwardly over the platenand inserted beneath the clamping plate 86, the platen I2 then beingheld in lowered position by the depression of the usual pedal. The formsand carbon sheets are drawn forward together until the forward edge ofthe uppermost form is at a position opposite the forward edge of theclamping plate 8d and the pedal is then released, allowing the platen tomove upwardly and clamp the forms and carbon sheets between the same andsaid plate. The forms and carbon sheets are then torn off across theforward or knife edge of the clamping plate. The carbon roll lockinglevers are then adjusted to lock the carbon rolls, the platen is loweredby the depres sion of the pedal, thereby unclamping the carbons andforms, and the carbon roll carriage is moved back to its rearwardposition, thereby drawing back the carbon sheets away from the forwardmargins of the forms which are about to be typed. The stop fingers 18are then swung down into lowered position to hold the carbon rollcarriage in its rearward position and the pedal is released, allowingthe platen to move upwardly and again clamp the forms between the sameand. the clamping plate.

The parts are now ready for the typing of the first set of forms. Thedrawing back of the carbon sheets away from the forward margins of theforms enables these margins to be grasped by the operator after the setof forms is typed and the forms drawn forward under the clamping plate84 without drawing the carbon sheets therewith. After each set of formsis typed, the platen is depressed to unclamp the same, the forms aredrawn forward by grasping the forward margins of the forms and pullingthe same forward beneath the clamping plate until the edge of theneXtupper form is even with the forward edge of the plate. The platen isthen released to clamp the forms and the typed forms are torn off alongthe forward edge of the clamping plate.

When the portions of the carbon sheets which are being employed fortyping are worn so that it is desired to change the writing surface,this may be readily done. In this operation, the stop fingers 18 areswung upwardly into substantially the positions shown in Figures 1 and'7, the carbon roll carriage is moved forward into its limiting positionand the locking levers 31 for the carbon rolls are moved into unlocln'ngpositions. With the platen in depressed position, the forms and carbonsheets are then drawn forward over the platen until the desired amountsof the carbon sheets are drawn off the carbon rolls. The said locl 'nglevers are then moved into locking position and the forms are graspedwithout grasping the carbon sheets and are drawn forward inde pendentlyof the carbon sheets until the upper form following that which has beentyped is even with the forward edge of the clamping plate. The platen isthereupon released to clamp the forms and carbon sheets and the typedforms are torn ofi along the forward edge of the plate 84. The platen isthen depressed to release the forms and carbons, the carbon rollcarriage is moved backward to its rearward position thereby drawing backthe carbon sheets from between the forward margins of the forms whichare in position for typing and the stop fingers 18 are swung downwardlyinto operating position. The platen is then released to clamp the forms.This places the parts in position for continuing the typing with new orunused portions of the carbon sheets in writing position between theforms.

When the use of the continuous carbon sheets is to be discontinued andit is therefore desired to remove the carbon carriage and associatedparts from the machine, the carriage is disengaged from the bracket AZby merely lifting the same from the bracket and the bracket is thendisengaged from the platen frame by lifting the rear end thereof todisengage the forward ends of the side plates is from between the sidebars 4 of the platen frame and the bracket is then moved upwardly andrearwardly to disengage the hooks 48 from the rear cross bar 10.

The bracket above-described for the application of the carbon rollcarrier to the platen frame is simple in construction and inexpensive tomanufacture. The parts of the bracket constitute a unitary structure andby a simple manipulation thereof, the bracket may be applied to andremoved from the platen frame. When the said bracket is in place in theplaten frame, the carbon roll carrier may be applied in operatingposition merely by placing the carrier frame over the bracket with theguides on the bracket in position to engage the contact portions of thecarrier frame.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theparticular construction and arrangement of parts of the illustratedembodiment of the invention, but that the invention may be embodied inother forms within the scope of the claims.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention and havingspecifically described a construction embodying the invention in itspreferred form, what is claimed is:

1. In combination with a typewriting machine of the flat platen typehaving a platen frame including a pair of spaced substantially parallelrails and cross bars connecting the rails; a supporting structurecomprising spaced substantially parallel side plates and cross membersconnecting said side plates, means for attaching said structure to therear end portion of the platen frame with the side plates substantiallyvertical and extending parallel with the rails so that said structureconstitutes an extension of the platen frame, a unitary carbon rolltruck removably mounted on said side plates for limited forward andrearward movement and held in place by gravity thereon and applicable toand removable from said side plates by manipulation of the truck, amanually adjustable stop device having an operative position to retainthe truck in its rearmost position during a typing operation and aninoperative position in which the truck is released, said device beingheld in each of said positions when adjusted and released by theoperator and means for limiting the forward movement of the truck, whenreleased by said device, to a distance considerably less than the lengthof a form.

2. In combination with a typewriting machine of the flat platen typehaving a platen frame including a pair of parallel side rails and crossbars connecting the rails; a supporting bracket comprising side platesconnected in spaced substantially parallel relation, means for attachingthe bracket to the rear end portion of the platen frame with the sideplates substantially vertical so that the bracket constitutes anextension of the platen frame, projections on said side plates extendingupwardly therefrom, a unitary carbon roll truck removably mounted on theupper edges of said projections for limited forward and rearwardmovement and held in place by gravity and applicable to and removablefrom the bracket by manipulation of the truck, the side plates of thebracket having one or more forwardly and rearwardly extending slots andstop means comprising one or more pins on the truck for engaging in saidslots, the engagement of the pins with said plates at the respectiveends of the slots limiting the forward and rearward movement of thetruck to a distance substantially less than the length of a form and adevice to hold the truck in its rearmost position during a typingoperation adjustable to allow the truck to move forward until limited bysaid stop means, said device maintaining each adjusted position whenreleased by the operator.

JACOB N. HOFFMAN.

